One of the most riveting and unsettling messages of the Christmas season is Mary’s resounding “yes” and unhesitating surrender to God’s will in her life. When the angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would be the mother of God, Mary’s first reaction to the news was not to lament her will or to argue that she was not good enough to be the mother of God– that she was too poor, or too uneducated. Her reaction was concerning how she could honorably carry out God’s will, “How can this be, since I have no husband?” (Luke 1:34).
And when the angel Gabriel responded that, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you” (Luke 1:35), Mary did not argue that the law of the time would have her stoned to death for being an unwed mother. No. She unquestionably trusted God to protect her and His son by responding, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).
Often in my own life, I do not react the way Mary did. Instead, I take time to grieve my own will. Sometimes, I argue with God that I am not the right person for the job. And sometimes I brattishly argue that His ways will make me look bad. I complain that I will lose my friends, or my reputation.
But what Mary’s resounding and confident, unreserved “yes!” teaches us, is that we do not need to be afraid of God’s will and that things work out better when we surrender to God’s will. There is no need to worry. God takes care of us when we trust Him. If it were not for her “yes,” if it were not for her willingness to trust God, abandon her will and her plans for God’s will and plans, we would not have the Savior. We would not have Christmas. Mary’s seemingly dangerous and deadly “yes” to God’s plan for her, shows us that God’s ways, though difficult and confusing at times, are better than our ways.
This Christmas season let us reflect on this. In what ways is God calling us to say, “yes?” What do we need to surrender to God so that His will may be done?
